Could the "Classifieds" topics just be removed from Talk entirely?

[littlelapintofbloodmwahaha]

Since there is an entire Classified tab on the top menu, could we have a separate message board for those topics please? Those being

• For sale
• Wanted
• Childcare
• Swap shop
• Small business ads
• Jobs

Especially if you take up Champs' suggestion of MN Swaps having it's own topic... then we wouldn't have to worry about having No Buying/Selling, No Swaps etc. It seems like the infrastructure is already there for it.

Sorry Tech

Perhaps members should be allowed a certain number of sales a year - if you need to sell 20 buggies a year you are running a business and should be on ebay.

I agree that I certainly wouldn't miss it, but I think it's clear that lots of people would, and presumably it helps MNHQ with traffic, and thus helps fund the site.

Glad you wouldn't go magnolia

Well, Helennn, several of the people who raised very valid concerns about unregulated buying and selling on that thread also spend a lot of time on here willingly supporting and chatting to posters in need of some company (eg Mummy2TandF), because they care about each other.
So to be perfectly honest your remarks could have been interpreted as a bit of a cheap shot by some.

millie: that's not a bad idea. Something like a 12 item yearly limit (that's roughly one thing a month)...?

(shock)
I've had a good idea
(preen)

I guess a limit would work well for buggies, but then I know DG has said in the past that she finds it very helpful being able to sell on here and she puts big lots on at one go, but separate items IYSWIM, so it would have to be quite carefully thought through, I think.

12 items or 12 threads...? You can fit a whole lot on a thread, especially if you link it to a picture trail.

I'm sure it's possible to "tag" posters with how many posts they've made on topics other than B&S-ing.

Trail can be changed for the life of the thread and posts made adding extra stuff to the thread description.

If it was revamped so you could edit the original post only on the thread (so you could edit what things had gone if you were selling a big batch of clothes or vids, for example) - would that work with a limit?

Alternatively, a small fee per ad to pay for someone to pre-vet each one to check it's a regular mumsnetter might be an option? How long would it take to pre-vet ... probably not long, and probably enough SAHM volunteers who'd like a bit of extra cash prepared to get a nominal fee per post they checked by doing a quick search?

i like the idea of the fee, like the CAT one

Marina - I see, I certainly wasn't intending to criticise those that were trying to help or moderate the discussion. I was having a go at those who were blatantly being bitchy and nasty to other people. I think the whole issue could have been dealt with a lot better, (grammer?), and I hate to see somebody likening somebody else to a dog for example - this is what I was upset by.

It is so easy to be misunderstood on here!!

12 threads? 1 a month?

I still think a one off fee and a separate board is the way forward. The Small Business people already pay a fee.

Helennn - that's the problem, you post and it seems like it is directed at everyone on that thread (that's you in the generic sense, not YOU, IYSWIM! )

i think it should go

there are places to buy and sell

its just not necessary

Oh, helennn, that's not strictly true now is it? people pulled you up on your misguided use of some unhappy threads to illustrate a (not very valid) point about stopping being childish and worrying about bigger things.
It was only pointed out that we do "already" worry about those bigger things and give support where support is needed.

Okay ... what about a 10p per ad fee for regular mumsnetters only. You could buy a batch of 10 "credits" for a quid.

Mumsnet gets 5p of that, the other 5p goes to a group of mumsnetters who need some extra cash to do a quick search and check that the poster in question is a regular genuine contributing mumsnetter (we'd need a proper definition of that). When that mumsnetter earned £20 from all the checking, a BACS or paypal payment can be made.

Mumsnet earns some extra cash. Mums earn extra cash. For Sale gets used by regulars only again.

Ah right, I shall be more specific next time.

Yes, pointing is the way. "This post is for you... and YOU... and you over there in the back!"

(or you could set it to 20p or whatever... just the idea of a nominal fee but enough to get some funds AND pay for the extra monitoring work required)

this is supposed to be a talk board not ebay

RubberDuck, that is very clever

The thing about removing it entirely is that it spills over onto "other Subjects" instead. It used to happen when there was a separate classified section.

ooo I get to now

Really, Dragon? (who are you normally?!)

But if that happens, could the posts not just be reported and deleted?

i think you should have had to have been a member for so long before you can sell anything.